After his nephew, whose illegal land allotment was cancelled by the UDF government, former chief minister V S Achuthanandan’s son is in trouble now. HT reports.

After his nephew, whose illegal land allotment was cancelled by the UDF government, former chief minister V S Achuthanandan’s son is in trouble now. The state government has ordered a vigilance inquiry into allegations of corruption and irregularities against his son V A Arun Kumar.

While in opposition the Congress led UDF had raised several allegations against him, including his frequent foreign trips, use of fake documents to obtain registration for a PhD from Kerala University and alleged irregularities committed by him when he was the managing director of the Coirfed.

When the then opposition raised several charges VS had entrusted the inquiry to the Lokayukta, inviting sharp criticism from the former. Now the new government had withdrawn the case from the Lokayukta and ordered the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau to probe it.

The vigilance bureau will also inquire into allegations that Arun Kumar had asked for a 5% commission from the now-defunct Kannur Power Project. Its promoter K P P Nambiar, a leading technocrat, had alleged in his autobiography that Kumar had sought a commission from him.

Similarly, senior advocate of Kerala high court K Ram Kumar had made serious charges about his high connections and his frequent foreign trips. Besides, Kumar is also a member of Thiruvananthapuram Golf Club and Cosmopolitan Club in Kozhikode.

The latest probe against his son and nephew is turning a big setback for the self-anointed crusader. He has decried the move to target his family members. “It is a witch-hunt. No one can tame me like this,” he said. However, state CPM leaders have kept a stony silence on this.

Two weeks back the state government had cancelled the controversial land allotment to his nephew T K Soman. He was allotted 2.33 acres of land in northern Kasarkkode district in the dying days of the earlier government, overruling objections of senior revenue officials. An ex-serviceman, land was allotted to him on a condition that it should not be disposed in 25 years but this was waived later.

Soman had applied for government land in 1977 claiming he had no landed property. Till 1970s there was a system in the state to allot government land to landless soldiers, but later it was discontinued. Subsequently, in April 1977 land was allotted to him in Kasarkkode. He was advised to deposit some money as the value of the trees existed on the particular plot. Due to financial constraints he couldn’t fulfil this and later the deal was cancelled.

However, the same file was retrieved after 30 years and re-submitted to the government in June 2007. Once submitted the file allegedly received urgent attention of many including, then chief minister and revenue minister.

Finally land was allotted in June 2010 with a strict rider it should not be sold in 25 years. But this was also waived later.